Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is a Brexit backer and glad the United Kingdom exited European Union.
Speaking in London during a meeting between Kenya and UK business executives, Mr. Kenyatta who is attending the inaugural UK-Africa Investment Summit, said Brexit presents a perfect opportunity for Kenya and the UK to forge deeper trade ties.
“I think this might end up being a blessing in disguise for all of us. And I think there is huge potential to re-ignite once again the partnership and the investments that were actually the driving force of global economy before we all seem to lose interest in each other.
The Kenyan president was pitching for private sector support to fund his Big 4 Agenda projects currently near death bed.
“Kenya is opening new opportunities not just for local but also foreign investors. We welcome you to Nairobi, the gateway to East and Central Africa,” President Kenyatta encouraged the UK investors who attended the meeting.
Mr. Kenyatta noted that Kenya is entering a new stage in its partnership with the UK post-BREXIT.
“I must admit that some of us are not keen on a BREXIT situation but I must also say we are glad that it has happened,” President Kenyatta said, adding that the move by UK to aggressively seek new opportunities outside Europe could be advantageous to Kenya and the rest of Africa.
The President pointed out that the blue economy is another new area where both Kenyan and British investors could venture in.
“We have huge resources in terms of the blue economy and we want to see how investors can work with local communities to create sustainable employment. Our duty, as government, is to create a conducive environment for that to happen,” he said.
On Tuesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta meets British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and held talks focused on scaling up the robust ties between Kenya and the UK.
The two leaders agreed that Kenya and the UK should cooperate more in the fight against terrorism.
“We would like to partner in combating terrorists. These criminals have continued to cause harm to our people and it is about time we combined forces to fight back,” President Kenyatta said.
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